Ah, I forgot to deliver the results of my inquiry on writer => Shakespeare:
setup:
1. To probe my claim about the English major thing at least tentatively, I asked whether the respondents had a strong interest in literature (Y XOR N only)
2. To get unbiased response, after approximately 24 h (in reality between 23 and 27 h ) later, I said "writer" and asked them to say a name.
All respondents were English native speakers, altogether 11 among which 9 grew up in the UK (3), the US (2), Can-anglophone (2), Quebec (1), Ireland (1), the remainder in various countries, but received an IB.
Strong interest in literature: 7 Y, 4 N
Names:
mysterious colleague if us: 4
Shakey: 2
Hugo: 1
Elliot: 1
King: 1
Racine: 1 (mysterious colleague)
Murakami: 1
no strong interest in literature:
obsucre colleague: 2
Shakey: 1
King: 1
Conclusions:
9 out of 11 English natives will not immediately think about Shakespeare when thinking of "writer." Moreover, an obscure person that grew in Quebec and has some talent in writing work related mails in sonnet form or 19th century novel style (among many others) and still passes as a serious co-worker comes to the mind of twice as many Anglophones.
Still, Shakey has an well balanced foothold among lit-geeks and -haters, alike. Thus, I have to concede to Obi with some reservations.
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